Machine for cleaning bags, fabrics, or similar articles.



T. K. STONER.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING BAGS, FABRICS, 0R SIMILAR ARTICLES. APPLICATIONFILED SEPT-29,1913.

1, 1 46,367. Patented July 13, 1915.

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T. K. STONER. MACHINE FOR CLEANING BAGS, FABRICS, OR SIMILAR ARTICLES.APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 29,1913. 1,146,367,, Patented July 13, 1915.

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1,146,367. 11116111111 July 13, 1915.

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T. K. STONER. MACHINE FOR CLEANING BAGS, FABRICS, 0R SIMILAR ARTICLES.

Patented July 13, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.29,1913. 1,146,367.

THOMAS K. STONER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING BAGS, FABRICS, OR SIMILAR ARTICLES.

Application filed. September 29, 1913.

' T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS K. STONER, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the countyof Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Machines for Cleaning Bags, Fabrics, or SimilarArticles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

This invention relates to machines for cleaning bags, fabrics, orsimilar articles.

It relates particularly to that class of machines having a rotary drummounted in a casing and provided with openings in the drum andcommunicating with the interior of the casing for permitting the escapeof cement, dust and other foreign particles from the articles to becleaned, and provided with means for removing the dust or foreignparticles from the interior of the casing.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple,economical, and efficient machine for cleaning bags, fabrics or similararticles.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear from thefollowing description and claims and from an inspection of theaccompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof.

The invention consists in the features, combinations, and details ofconstruction herein described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of abag-cleaning machine constructed in accordance with my invention andimprovements; Fig. 2, a view in end elevation of the machine shown inFig. 1; Fig. 3, a top plan view of the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2,with the upper part of the casing removed to show the interior thereof;Fig. i, an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line 4 of'Fig. l andlooking in the direction of the arrow; the pivotally mounted beater armslocated within the hollow drum being omitted for the sake of clearnessof illustration; Fig. 5, a central sectional view in detail, taken online 5 of Fig. 2; and Fig. .6, a detail view in horizontal section,taken on line 6 of Fig. 5, and showing the construction of the doorshown in said Fig. 5.

In constructing a machine for cleaning Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 13, 1915.

Serial N 0. 792,260.

bags, fabrics or similar articles in accordance with my invention, 1provide a stationary outer casing a which is, by preference, ofcylindrical form and made in two sections, a lower section Z) and a topremovable section 0. This casing is formed, by preference, of sheetmetal, such as galvanized sheet iron, and is provided with a supportingframe which may be of any desired, suitable, ordinary and well knownform. The supporting frame shown in the drawings comprises a horizontalmain frame having side frame members (Z supported upon legs 6 andsuitably braced by means of inclined braces f, the upper ends of whichare connected with the side or main frame members (Z and the lower endsof which are connected with the lower portions of the legs, as shown inFig. 1. Inclined supporting frame members or braces g, which may beformed of angle-iron, are secured to the main frame by means ofconnecting arms h, the upper ends of the inclined frame members orbraces 9 being secured to the lower member Z) of the drum by suitablesecuring means, and the lower ends being adapted to rest upon astationary foundation i. The braces or frame members 9 at each side ofthe casing may be connected by means of a brace 7c in the form of anangle-iron having its opposite ends secured to and forming a connectionbetween the frame members g, and the frame is rendered still more rigidby means of inclined brace rods Z secured to the brace 70 and to themembers g, as shown in Fig. 2.

The stationary casing a is, by preference, in the form of an annulardrum or casing made in two parts Z) and 0, as already suggested, theperipheral wall of the casing or drum being formed by preference ofsheet metal, such as galvanized iron and being provided with peripheralrims m of angleiron at the opposite end margins of the casing andadapted to give the structure the required degree of rigidity andstrength. Secured to the outwardly projecting flange portions of each ofthe angle-iron rims m, is an annular plate or ring a which may be formedof sheet metal and which extends inward in the direction of the axialcenter of the stationary drum or casing, as best shown in Fig. f, so asto form an inwardly projecting flange or inner rim 0 at each end of theannular stationary drum or casing. The flanges 3) of the angle-ironmembers m are rigidly secured to the sheet metal casing by means ofrivets, or in any ordinary and well known manner, so that the rims mform a rigid support for the rings a at the opposite ends of thestationary casing or drum. The bottom member 6 of the drum is supportedin the main stationary supporting frame above described, and the topmember 0 is supported upon the member 6 to which it is removably securedby means of perforated securing flanges 9 (Fig. 2) upon the lower edgesor ends of the member 0 and similar flanges r upon the upper ends oredges of the lower casing member I), and bolts inserted through theperforations in said securing flanges and secured in position by meansof nuts, or by other suitable securing means which may be of any desiredor well known form. The annular casing or stationary drum thus formed isso mounted that its axial center is in a horizontal position andtransverse to the supporting frame upon which the stationary drum orcasing is mounted. The opposite ends of this annular casing or drum areprovided with openings the margins of which are defined by the annularinner edges or perimeters s of the inwardly projecting rims 0, asindicated in Fig. 4-, so that the drum or casing is practically wideopen at both ends with the exception of the peripheral portion inclosedby the inwardly projecting rims 0.

Mounted on the interior of the stationary annular casing or drum abovedescribed is a rotary drum 6 which comprises in its construction a pairof annular rims, each formed, by preference, of a multiplicity ofperipheral end sections or segmental pieces a and e which may be of woodjoined together so as to form a rigid annular end rim at each end of thedrum, an annular metallic strip or rim member w being secured to theinner side of each set of segmental wooden rim members u.

Peripheral slats, rungs or rods y are secured at their opposite ends tothe inner annular rim members a which form the ends of the rotary drum6, each of said slats, rungs or rods being secured at its opposite endsto the annular rim members a so as to form the periphery or peripheralrigid framework of the rotary drum and form a connection between the rimmembers u or opposite ends of the drum. The slats or rungs y which thusconnect the opposite ends of the drum are provided with squared orshouldered end portions 2 which fit snugly into similarly shaped angularapertures 2 in the rim members a to which the rods are rigidly secured,and rollers or rungs 3 are rotatably mounted at suitable intervalsintermediate the rigidly secured rungs y and rotatably supported in theannular end members a of the drum, said rollers or rungs 3 being eachprovided with an end bearing or trunnion 4 which is rotatably mounted ina suitable socket adapted to permit the r0- tation of said rungs orrollers. The rollers and rungs 8 and 3 are provided with spaces 5therebetween, (Fig. 5) and are so arranged as to form the peripheralannular wall of the drum. The openings between the rods or rungs areadapted to permit cement, dust and other foreign substances to pass fromthe interior of the rotary drum between them and into the spaces 6between the periphery of the rotary drum 2? and the peripheral wall ofthe stationary drum or casing a. The rotary drum t is provided with aseries of inwardly extending radial blades, paddles or baffles 7 (seeFig. 5,) which are arranged at suitable intervals around the peripheryof the drum in position to form a rigid connection between the endmembers or rim members it and to form shelves or supports upon which thebags or other material to be cleaned are raised during the rotation ofthe drum, and from which the bags or articles to be cleaned fall ortumble to the bot tom of the drum during the rotation of the latter insuch a manner as to cause the cement particles and other foreignsubstances to be dislodged or beaten out.

In order to facilitate the cleaning of the bags or other articles to beoperated upon, a series of fiails or heater arms 8 are provided andsecured to the baflles or to suitable supports at or near the peripheryof the drum, as shown in Fig. 5, by means of hinge members 9 upon thebaffles and hinge members 10 upon the pivoted or hinged ends of thefiails or beater arms. These beater arms or flails may be made of gaspipe or other suitable strong and heavy material and, when employed,should be of sufficient length to enable the swinging ends thereof tofall downward during the upward movement of the portion of the drum orof the baffles to which their pivoted ends are secured (see Fig. 5), soas to strike the bags or articles to be cleaned and cause the cementparticles and other foreign substances to be dislodged or beaten out.The annular rim or end members a and r of the inner rotary drum beingrigidly connected by means of the bafiles 7 and rigid peripheral drummembers or rungs 11 it will be readily seen the rim members a formsupports adapted to permit the rotation of the peripheral rotary rungs8. A rotary drum is thus provided, the opposite ends of which are closedby means of end plates 11 which may be of sheet metal and which aresecured at their annular margins to the relatively heavy or woodensegmental rim members o, as best shown in Fig. 4:. One of the end wallsformed by the metallic plates 11 is provided with a suitable opening foradmitting bags or articles to be operated upon, and a door 12, shown inFigs. 5 and 6, is slidably mounted in position to enable such opening tobe readily opened and closed. This door may be of any desired form andwhen constructed as shown in the drawings consists of aflat plate orsheet of suitable material slidably mounted between guides or ways 13and 14 in position to form a closure for the opening 15.

Secured to each rim member/w and supported by means of said rim memberupon the inner side of the relatively heavy and strong wooden member u,isa peripheral flange 16, each of which projects outward from thecorresponding rim member a and won the outside of the inwardlyprojecting flange 0, as shown in Fig. 4, and an annular flange member 17is secured to the inner side of each of the annular flangemembers 16 andcomprises an inclined or tapered rim or inner flange 18 which extendslaterally from the annular drum members a and w and be yond theperipheral rungs y and 3 which form the peripheral wall of the rotarydrum t at an incline away from the ends of the rotary driim and in thedirection of the periphery of the outer stationary casing or drum, asshown in Fig. 4, soas to form a peripheral, inclined or tapered flangelocated on the inside of the inwardly projecting stationary flange orrim 0 of the stationary casing a, already described, and outside of theperipheral wall of the rotary drum 2?. The overlapping flanges or sheetmetal rims 16, 18 and 0 are thus adapted to permit the rotation of theinner rotary drum, and openings 19 between the rim members 0 and 16 andopenings 20 between the rim members 0 and 18 and openings 21 between theouter peripheral edges of the rim 18 and the periphcry of the stationarycasing are adapted to admit air to the interior of the casing a and tothe interior o-fthe rotary drum. (See The annular end or rim members aand o of therotary drum project endwise beyond the opposite ends of thestationary casing, as best shown in Fig. l, and shafts 22 and 23 extendbeneath and endwise beyond the opposite ends of the stationary casing aand rotary drum t and are mounted-in suitable bearings 24 upon the sideframe members cl, each of said shafts being provided with spur pinions25 having annular rims 26 which form supporting rollers or wheels whichare in supporting engagement with the lateral annular rim portions 27 oflarge segmental spur gears 28 which encircle and are supported by therim or end members a and o of the rotary drum and are in toothedengagement with the spur pinions or drumsupporting wheels 25 of theshafts 22 and 23. The segments of the large segmental spur gear ortoothed rim 28 are secured to the end rim members n of the drum by meansof lugs or arms 29 and bolts 30 which drum-inclosing casing, so as to befree from the dust which is confined within the rotary drum andstationary casing. The annular rim members a, e and the associatedplates 11 at each end of the hollow drum, close the ends of the same andconstitute in effect, headers for the drum. The annular toothed rims 28are mounted on and secured to the headers.

By supporting the drum upon the rotary shafts and pinions or rollers 25,the opposite ends of the drum are both readily accessible and theopening or door for admitting the bags or articles to be cleaned isreadily accessible in any position in which the drum may happen to bestopped. The ends of the rotary drum are in position to close theotherwise open ends of the stationary casing or drum (4, and the headsor ends of the rotary drum are thus exposed and are supported on theoutside of the ends of the stationary casing so that it is onlynecessary to have an opening or door in the exposed end wall of therotary drum. The door is adapted to be utilized when in a position belowthe axial center of the drum and is unobstructed by either thesupporting framework or other drum-supporting devices. The entireinterior of the drum is also unobstructed by any central shaft or othermeans for rotatably supporting the drum. The main driving shaft 22 isprovided with a belt pulley 32, or other suitable, ordinary and wellknown means adapted to enable the driving shaft 22 to be connected witha suitable source of power. The belt pulley 32 shown in the drawings isloose on the shaft 22 and is provided with a clutch member 33 adapted tobe engaged by a mating clutch member 34, which is connected with theshaft 22 by means of a spline or feather 35 extending longitudinally ofthe shaft and adapted to hold its clutch member in non-rotatablerelation to the shaft and permit the movement of the clutch member 34into and out of clutching engagement with the clutch member 33. The beltpulley 32 is operatively connected with a suitable source of power, suchas a motor 36-which may be in the form of an electric motor or an engineor other source of power-by means of a belt 37 mounted upon the drivingwheel or pulley 38 of the motor or power shaft.

The stationary casing or drum a is provided with a depression or trough39 in its bottom portion, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, said troughbeing located below the periphery of the inner rotary drum andcommunicating with the space 6 between the periphery of the rotary drumand the peripheral wall of the stationary casing or drum (4. This troughis adapted to receive the cement particles, dust and other foreignsubstances removed from the bags or other articles to be cleaned as theypass from the drum during the rotation thereof, and a conduit 40, in theform of a pipe of suflicient diameter to permit the passage of dust andforeign particles removed from the articles to be cleaned, is connectedwith a fan or blower 41 which may be of any desired, ordinary or wellknown type. The fan shown in the drawings is an ordinary rotary fanhaving an outer casing which forms an air chamber communicating with theconduit or discharge passage 40 leading from the in terior of thestationary casing and having a discharge opening 42 adapted tocommunicate with or discharge dust particles and other foreignsubstances into a suitable receptacle which may be of any desired form.The driving shaft 43 of the fan is mounted in suitable bearings 4-4 and45 and provided with a belt pulley 46 in fixed relation thereto andoperatively connected with a pulley 47 by means of a belt 48, saidpulley 47 being fixed to the drive shaft of the motor 36.

In operation, the clutch member 34 is moved into clutching engagementwith the clutch member 33, thereby operatively connecting the drivingshaft 22 of the device with the motor or source of power, which beingset in motion causes the rotation of the driving shaft 22 and thepinions 25 which are fixed thereto. The annular flanges or rim portions26 of the rollers or pinions 25 on the shaft 23 form supports for therotary drum, and the rotation of the driving shaft 22 with the pinions25 which are in toothed engagement with the large gears 28 on theopposite ends of the rotary drum causes the rotation of the drum withits bafiles or shelves 7 which are adapted to carry upward the bags orarticles resting thereon in the interior of the drum until such bags orarticles are raised to a point where they will fall or tumble to thebottom of the drum, so as to cause the dust and foreign particles to beremoved from the bags or other articles by the friction and manipulationof the fabric or articles and by the action of the articles upon eachother during the rotation of the drum. The flails or beating arms 8being so arranged that the swinging ends fall upon the bags or articlesduring the rotation of the drum, it is obvious that the dislodging andremoval of the dust and foreign particles from the articles isfacilitated by the beating which the articles receive from the flails orbeater arms. The dust, cement, or other foreignparticles removed fromthe bags pass through the interstices 5 between the rotary peripheralrungs or rollers 3 and the non-rotary rungs or rods y and into the space6 between the periphery of the rotary drum and the stationary casing andto the trough 39 from which they are drawn through the conduit 40 withthe air which is drawn into and through the rotary drum 2? andstationary casing a by the fan, and discharged through the dischargeopening 42 of the fan or blower 41.

I claim 2- 1. A dust-extracting apparatus comprising a stationary hollowouter casing having a discharge spout, a hollow drum rota: tably mountedwithin said outer casing and having its peripheral wall provided withaplurality, of openings, said drum and easing each being provided with aperipheral annular flange; the flange on the drum eXtending over theflange on the casing, and said flanges being laterally spaced apart topermit air to pass between them into the space between the peripheralwalls of the drum 7 and casing, means associated with said dischargespout acting to induce a current of air through the casing for removingthe dust, and means for rotating the drum; said drum being provided witha door. I

2. A- dust-extracting apparatus, compris, ing a stationary hollow outercasing having a discharge spout, a hollow drum rotatably' mounted withinsaid outer casing and having its peripheral wall provided with aplurality of openings, a baflie plate located within said drum andextending inwardly from the peripheral wall thereof, a heater rigidthroughout its length located in said drum and having pivotal connectionat one end with said baflie plate, said drum and easing each beingprovided with a periplr eral annular flange; the flange on the drumextending over the flange on the casing, and said flanges beinglaterally spaced apart to permit air to pass between them into the spacebetween the peripheral walls of the drum and casing, means associatedwith said dischargespout acting to induce a current of air through thecasing for removing the dust, and means for rotating the drum; said drumbeing provided with a door.

3. A dust-extracting apparatus, comprising a stationary hollow outercasing having a discharge spout, a hollow drum rotatably mounted withinsaid outer casing and having its peripheral wall formed of a pluralityof rods having spaces therebetween forming passages opening into thesaid drum, a plurality of beaters located within said drum, each beaterbeing rigid throughout its length and having pivotal connection at oneend with the peripheral wall of said drum, said drum and casing eachbeing provided with a peripheral annular flange; the flange on the drumextending over the flange on the casing, and said flanges beinglaterally spaced apart to permit air to pass between them into the spacebetween the peripheral walls of the drum and the casing, meansassociated with said discharge spout acting to induce a current of airthrough the casing for removing the dust, and means for rotating thedrum; said drum being provided with a door.

a. A dust-extracting apparatus, comprising a hollow outer casing havinga dis charge opening, a hollow drum rotatably mounted within said outercasing, said drum being closed at its ends by headers, one of which isprovided with a door, said drum having its peripheral wall provided witha plurality of openings, said drum and easing each being provided with aperipheral annular flange; the flange on the drum eX- tending over theflange on the casing, and said flanges being laterally spaced apart topermit air to pass therebetween and enter the space between theperipheral walls of said drum and easing, means associated with saiddischarge opening acting to induce a current of air through the casing,and means for rotating said drum.

5. A dust-extracting apparatus, comprising a hollow outer casing havinga discharge spout, a hollow drum rotatably mounted within said outercasing and having its peripheral wall provided with a plurality ofopenings, said casing being provided with an annular peripheral flange,said drum being provided with a pair of annular peripheral flangesbetween which extends the flange on the casing, said flanges beinglaterally spaced apart to permit air to pass therebetween into the spacebetween the peripheral walls of the drum and casing, means associatedwith said discharge spout acting to induce a current of air through saidcasing, and means for rotating said drum.

6. A dust-extracting apparatus, comprising a hollow outer casing havingadischarge spout, a hollow drum rotatably mounted within said outercasing and having its peripheral wall provided with a plurality ofopenings, said casing being provided with an annular peripheral flange,said drum being provided with an inner and an outer annular peripheralflange; the flange on the casing extending between the flanges on thedrum, said flanges being laterally spaced apart to permit air to passtherebetween into the space between the peripheral walls of the drum andcasing; the inner flange on the drum being inclined inwardly toward theperipheral wall Of the casing and having its outer edge terminatingshort of the peripheral wall of said casing, means associated with saiddischarge spout acting to induce a current of air throu h said casing,and means for rotating said drum.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention I afliX mysignature in the presence of two witnesses, this 23rd day of SeptemberA. D. 1913.

THOMAS K. STONER.

Witnesses:

CHARLES H. PooLE, MAURICE D. HERMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

